Professionals asked to give not-for-profit organisations a boost

A call has gone out to Manchester professionals to give time and talent to help not-for-profit organisations make a difference.

Reach Volunteering urges professionals to join a network of more than 5,000 people during Volunteers’ Week which concludes on Wednesday (June 7).

Reach matches skilled volunteers from a range of professional sectors including HR, governance, PR, marketing, IT financial services and design, among others, with non-profits where their skills are being asked for.

It differs from other volunteering sites in that it specialises in placing people with professional expertise in a role where that expertise is being specifically looked for.

The call follows a report commissioned by Greater Manchester Centre for Voluntary Organisations (GMCVO) finding that many non-profits are keen to recruit more high-skilled and experienced volunteers to help support their services and overcome challenges of meeting greater need on tighter budgets.

Reach chief executive Janet Thorne said: “Charities and non-profits flourish when they have access to skilled and experienced people, and there are many talented people who want to give their skills to a cause knowing it could make a difference.

“We help non-profits identify the skills they need to grow their work, matching them up with professionals with the experience and expertise to help.

“Up to now, we have matched thousands of volunteers with non-profits in the South East, but know that there is huge untapped potential in cities like Manchester.

“As a nationwide celebration of volunteering, Volunteers’ Week is the ideal time for professionals and businesses from Manchester to register with Reach and get involved with anything from guiding the strategic development of a charity to helping deliver frontline services.”

Last year, Reach placed more than 934 highly-skilled volunteers in over 600 charities, large and small. This includes over 450 trustees, making Reach the biggest source of trustees to the charity sector. Volunteers ranged from senior executives to creative freelancers, all with over three years experience in a professional capacity.

Reach volunteers have optimised websites, designed new marketing materials, mentored staff, carried out research, become treasurers, written and edited articles, advised on IT, reviewed financial systems, chaired boards, undertaken audits, managed projects, worked on campaigns and analysed data – the list is endless.

Reach is inviting professionals in Manchester to register with the organisation where so it can set up a profile describing their experience, volunteering interests and how much time they have to give in order to be matched up with on-going volunteer roles, short term projects or trustee/governer positions through its TrusteeWorks service.

Reach also partners with businesses to provide tailored professional development opportunities for their employees and is keen to work with more businesses in Manchester and the North West.

It currently works with organisations like Microsoft, GSK, Legal & General to promote roles and recruit new volunteers.

The partnership with LinkedIn also helps non-profits share opportunities with a wide-audience of professionals.